Every year, we celebrate many special days─Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and New Year’s Day. In some countries, there is a special day for playing tricks on others. In North America and parts of Europe, this day is known as April Fool’s Day, and is celebrated on April 1.
Many people believe that the French started April Fool’s Day. Centuries ago, New Year’s Day in Europe was April 1. In 1582, the calendar changed and King Charles IX of France moved it to January 1.
Some people did not like this, and chose to keep April 1 as New Year’s Day. Many called these people ‘April fools’ and played jokes and tricks on them. Over time, April 1 became a day to have fun in France. It then spread to England and Scotland, and later, to North America.
On April Fool’s Day, jokes are common. In the United States, for example, a person may move a friend’s clock ahead one hour, or change the sugar and salt. In Scotland, April Fool’s Day lasts for two days. The second day is called ‘Taily Day’─for one’s ‘tail’. On this day, people might secretly put a sign saying ‘kick me’ on a person’s back or behind. Other countries have their own ‘Fool’s Day’. In Spain and Mexico, people play tricks on each other on December 28. In India, it happens on March 31.
In many countries around the world, April 1 is a day of fun. Jokes bring about a lot of laughter, and many shouts of ‘April Fool’!
小題1:It is said that people first celebrated ‘Fool’s Day’ in
.
| A．the United States | B．France | C．Scotland | D．Spain |
小題2: In North America, ‘Fool’s Day’ is celebrated on
.
| A．April 1 | B．April 2 | C．December 28 | D．March 31 |
小題3:People are allowed to
while celebrating ‘Fool’s Day’.
| A．kick your friends in the behind |
| B．move a friend’s clock ahead one hour |
| C．play jokes and tricks on your friends |
| D．take a holiday from work for two days |
小題4:Which country is NOT mentioned (提到) in the passage as celebrating ‘Fool’s Day’?
| A．England. | B．India. | C．Mexico. | D．Japan. |
小題5:Over time, April 1 became a day to have fun in France. It then spread to England …. Here “spread” means
.
